The fashion frenzy of Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear has finally drawn to a close! Rounding out the season, the Paris runway shows brought high drama, incredible production, and some major designer talent. One of the most intriguing trends on the catwalk this past week was the use of patterned sheer fabrics. Check out the variety of translucent looks below.

 Zuhair Murad | M Missoni | Akris

Sacai | Giambattista Valli | Elie Saab

These looks evoke a range of textile techniques from lace-like detailing to allover embroidery to gauzy chiffon prints. The patterns include plaid-style checks, tapestry banding, contemporary florals, and bold novelty motifs. As such, we can see how this designer trend is open to diverse interpretations!

DIY Custom Sheer Layers

While these catwalk dresses were intended for the fall, we love the idea of incorporating some sheer elements into our wardrobe for this upcoming summer season. After all, it’s better to be ahead of the trend rather than riding on the busy bandwagon! We started experimenting with some of our WeaveUp fabrics to see what we could create.

Our voile fabric is perfect for creating a super soft and airy layer. It’s translucent enough that you can clearly see your printed design while also getting a hint of what’s lying behind. For this reason, you may prefer to pair the voile with an opaque base layer. Now, you have a few options: you can juxtapose a patterned voile with a solid slip, or vice versa, and create a sheer overlay for a detailed base. If you are up for something really different, you can layer two different designs to form an awesome optical effect. Here are a couple combos we came up with:

Tower Pad by BBKolanz + Rooftop by Jessika Neira

Heavy Traffic by monicaguerrero + Rainforest Leaves 2 by BBKolanz

Your custom layered fabrics could be transformed into a flowing skirt or simple blouse. We found a couple really great DIY sites to aide your sewing process: 1, 2. Let us know how sheer inspiration strikes you!